Hunting Red
by Reiya.Shepard
Summary: While on a routine mission, things go horribly wrong. Shepard is missing, and someone from her past is behind it. Will Thane be able to find her before it's too late?  :: Fem!shep/Thane K. :: future chapters will include mature themes.
1. Chapter 1

Thane could feel his heartbeat pounding against his chest as he moved. He took a slow breath as he lifted the sniper rifle in his hands. The cold seemed to permeate the entirety of the maze of caverns they were in, and while he knew that he couldn't actually _feel_ the cold of this environment, a chill settled over him nonetheless. Something just didn't seem right.

The mission was supposed to be in and out, really. Land, find the desired coordinates, pick up the package listed on the shipment roster, and then leave. There had been no comm activity to alert them of any remaining mercenaries, or even any LOKI mechs to protect the materials they were looking for. It was a simple matter of _finding_ the shipment in the first place. Of course, with Shepard around, nothing was ever that easy. Not unless it meant putting a bullet in someone who deserved it.

He was no stranger to Death. It was something he had faced every day since Irikah's departure from this life. He accepted its necessity, and prayed for those who fell into Death's grasp. Death meant a return to the Sea. The end of what was, and the start of what would be.

Thane exhaled slowly, liquid eyes taking in the whole of the cavern as he noted several points where an enemy could hide. He blinked, peering through the scope of his sniper rifle as he studied each location. "No contacts," he said through the comm link, his raspy voice low and mellow, the tone even. Even if this area felt _wrong_, he wouldn't let it break his calm.

"Good. Keep a sharp eye out for possible enemy activity. I don't like the layout of this place. Too many shadows. Stay focused." Shepard's voice was rich, sharp with a militaristic tint to the tone.

"Understood," he replied, eyelids flickering as he continued to keep a close watch on the path Shepard was taking.

"Try not to lose sight of us. It's not like we'll be hard to see or anything. Oh wait...Nah. We should be _fine_. Dark caverns are probably one of the _safer_ things we go through."

A turian followed Shepard closely, dim light reflecting from his blue armor as he moved, avian head swiveling from side to side. Thane's brow rose at the comment from his teammate, but he said nothing.

"What is it about places like these that bad guys like? It can't be the location, Shepard. The lighting is terrible."

"Oh, you know, Garrus. Mercs don't like seeing your ugly face in bright light. Scares off the newbies."

Thane couldn't help the wry chuckle at Shepard's reply. There were times he envied the ease with which the two worked together. Sometimes it seemed as though they could read each others minds.

A single move from Shepard, and Garrus would take point, rifle raised to take out an enemy with the barest touch to the trigger. A twitch of his mandible, and Shepard would throw a shockwave right into incoming enemies. The moves were flawless, almost second nature. They were the kind of actions that needed no direction. The kind gained only through being in countless battles together.

Thane had memorized each tactic, adapting his own moves to suit Shepard's. He knew when to give suppressing fire, taking down stragglers as Shepard would flare brilliant, blinding blue, charging head first into a nearby enemy. His own biotics would thrum in harmony with hers as he would warp an enemy just as she'd pull them closer with her own manipulations of dark energy, right into a flurry of gunfire. But all of these tactics were planned in his mind long before he used them.

It was easy to work with Shepard, even for someone like himself. He was so accustomed to working alone, but Shepard had adapted, giving him directions that allowed him to utilize his skills. Directions that allowed him to work with others instead of remaining strictly on his own. It was amazing, really.

A flicker of movement caught his attention and he turned his rifle, eyes locked on one of the shadowed archways at the opposite side of the cavern. "Movement in the northeast corridor," he said quietly through the comm. He watched the open archway for a moment before moving silently, keeping to the shadows as he headed towards Shepard and Garrus, the muzzle of his rifle trained on the open archway.

"Dammit," Shepard cursed, her voice harsh over the comm. "How many, Thane?"

"One. Maybe two. They slipped into the corridor leading into the labyrinth." He was already in motion, slipping behind a column, lifting the rifle again, peering through the scope. Another shadowed movement caught his eye and he counted silently. "Two," he corrected.

"Garrus you take the left side. Watch for mechs. I'll take point. Thane, cover me."

"You got it, Shepard." The turian's voice had changed. Before, it had been jovial and teasing in nature, but now it was serious. All business. Even Garrus' body language had shifted to predatory as he moved, slinking in the direction Shepard had directed him.

Thane lifted his chin, watching carefully as Garrus took his place by the archway, glancing through before giving Shepard a sharp nod. She raised her heavy pistol and stepped through the doorway, moving with practiced ease. From his vantage point and through the scope of his favorite rifle,Thane could see a breath of air shift several silken strands of crimson hair from her cheek. He could see the muscles in her cheek clench and relax as she turned her head to nod at Garrus in silence. The turian took one step and then there was a sickeningly loud crack that reverberated through the room. A low rumble warned of the shifting rock as the archway split and chunks of stone started to drop.

"Shepard!"

Thane watched as everything seemed to move in slow motion, his heart stopping in his chest. Garrus shouted, reaching out one arm to shove Shepard out of the way of a boulder as it crashed into the stone floor, dust filling the air, obscuring everything from sight.

Thane didn't know when he'd started moving, but he was running full-speed towards the collapsed archway, slinging his rifle back into it's usual place on his back. He coughed, his lungs burning as he inhaled bits of dust. His eyes narrowed as he came to a stop, heart pounding wildly in his chest as he crouched, hands brushing bits of rock and stone as he searched, blinded by the dust that was taking a long time to settle. A second rumble shook the ground beneath his feet and his jaw tightened. It was far too dangerous to remain here. They had to leave. _Now_.

His fingers touched slick, hot liquid and his heart stopped. The acrid scent of blood filled his nose, and his eyes widened slightly. _Shepard? No...too metallic. Turian...Garrus. He pushed Shepard out of the way..._

A low coughing groan shook him from his thoughts as the dust settled, revealing Garrus' prone form. Thane's eyes widened slightly at the large rock that had both of the turian's legs pinned. Garrus moaned and went still. He made a quick glance to where the archway was...well, to where it had been. A pile of rubble blocked his way. He cursed silently, shaking his head.

Thane moved quickly, bracing himself to shift the large rock from where it pinned Garrus' legs. He checked the turian for additional wounds, moving quickly, pulling medigel from a pocket in his coat. Garrus had taken a hard hit to his head in addition to the rocks that had nearly crushed his legs, dark blood pooling from a gash to his already scarred cheek. Thane dabbed some medigel on the wound and once satisfied, he stood, frowning at the rubble with unease. He had no idea if Shepard was all right, or if she was even alive. The thought made him sick.

His lips parted as he prepared to raise her on the comm. A sharp static burst stopped him, and he froze, eyes widening slightly.

"_-you get her?-ch was with a couple—aliens."_

Static.

"_Transport's ready. -use the sedative. Dumb—fell for it. Just like—said she would."_

"_Take her- back to base."_

His heart clenched in his chest. A trap? How could they have known? Who was behind this? A hundred thousand thoughts tore through his mind as he listened to the chatter on the comm, recording it with his omnitool.

"_Finch said—better than this. -most too easy."_

"_Shut up! You don't know—comms might be open. Hurry up!"_

The comm went silent, and Thane could feel his insides churning with something he wasn't prepared to admit. Fear. Anger. Sorrow. Fury. Someone had taken her. Shepard. Reiya. His _siha._

And they were going to pay.


	2. Chapter 2

"_No_. Absolutely not."

Miranda folded her arms across her chest, icy gray-blue eyes boring into Thane's. "I will not let you run off with the Kodiak to go hunting mercs that you didn't even see. We can discuss going after them once the scan of the area is complete, but _not_ before. Shepard could still be down there and we are _not_ leaving until I am absolutely sure."

Thane straightened, his arms resting easily behind his back as he adjusted his stance, simultaneously forcing down the anger that was rising in his throat and making himself taller. Forcing his down to remain civil, he said, "Forgive me, Miss Lawson. I understand your position, but I will do whatever is necessary to bring her back safely, with or without your permission." One brow rose as he shifted his weight to one leg, dark eyes glimmering. "Or need I remind you that my arm is Shepard's, not yours?"

Frowning darkly at him, Miranda dropped her arms to rest one hand on her hip, her eyes flashing with anger. "I hope I don't need to remind _you,_ Krios, that while Shepard is not here, _I_ am the ranking officer aboard this ship. I expect my orders to be followed just as you would follow hers. This ship is in lockdown until the scan has been completed, or until Shepard is located."

Thane could feel his muscles tensing, tightening as he clenched his hand into a fist. He stared at her, eyes unblinking as he remained silent, gritting his teeth. His eyes flickered, a memory crossing his mind. _He moves in shadows, slipping behind a pale, dark-haired woman and snapping her neck with one sharply fluid movement. She falls in a crumpled heap before him. Silence. _He closed his eyes and dismissed the memory. Words would do him no good here. Nor would his temper. To even entertain such a thought was unlike him.

He was just so...so _angry_. Angry that someone had _dared_ go after Shepard. Angry that they had taken her from right in front of him. Angry that he'd been unable to stop it. Angry that Garrus hadn't been able to stop it either... A part of him was afraid she'd been hurt or worse...his heart twisted in his chest and he forced his face to remain a mask of calm. He knew all too well what could happen if he did not calm himself. Blind anger led only to stupidity. It took conscious effort for Thane to relax his tensed muscles, and to push back the urge to rage at the entire situation. Taking a quiet breath, he filled his lungs as he forced his clenched fists to uncurl, feeling the blood rush back into his fingertips. His skin felt tightly stretched over his muscles, an effect of the biotics he could wield as easily as breathing. Another breath. He shoved down the roiling anger that threatened to spill from him in a rush of brilliant blue.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught Thane's attention, and he turned his head slightly, dark, liquid eyes falling on a slender, silver-haired woman. Doctor Chakwas folded her arms over her chest, tilting her head as she looked at them.

"As much as I loathe interrupting this discussion, I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to leave. The medical bay is no place for this sort of talk. As it is, we already have enough injuries. I've no wish to see either of you in here due to a disagreement," she said warmly, but Thane could detect a hint of irritation in the physician's words.

Miranda shot a sharp glare at Thane and straightened, pulling her shoulders back and lifting her chin. "Don't worry, Doctor. I was just leaving," she said, her tone acidic as she turned on a heel and swept out of the medical bay.

Watching her leave, Thane turned to face the doctor. "My apologies, Doctor," he said, his raspy voice softening as he gave her a small bow. He glanced at Garrus, who was resting on one of the beds. "How is he?"

Dr. Chakwas eyed Thane for a long moment, her lips pursed in thought as she studied him. Thane could feel a prickle run down his spine, and he wasn't sure why such a look was so unnerving. He adjusted his stance slightly, straightening his shoulders.

The doctor gave a half-shrug, before taking a seat at her desk, and lifting one of the many datapads she had in front of her. "His injuries weren't severe. A mild concussion, and the bones in his legs are a bit bruised, but thankfully nothing was broken. He's a durable sort of fellow. I suspect he'll be just fine, other than a few aches and pains."

Thane nodded slightly, a slight frown pulling at his lips before he shook his head and turned, starting towards the door. Time was precious. Valuable. The amount of time he'd wasted arguing with Miranda limited what he could do or where he could go for further information. His thoughts were whirling as he made his way out of the medical bay, fierce determination in his usually calm movements.

His current objectives were simple, really. First, gather information. _Who_ had Shepard and _why_? Second, _where_ would they take her? This would be difficult to ascertain while the 'who' and 'why' were still in question. Time was crucial. If he was starting with no information at all, then there was the risk that he would _find_ nothing. Luckily, he had a name. _Finch._ It was a start, at least.

The door to Life Support slid open, and Thane moved quickly, gathering the weapons displayed on his wall, and tucking them swiftly but neatly into a military-issue case. If he was going to do this alone, he would need to be well armed. Having no idea what sort of men had taken Shepard, Thane knew better than to underestimate any opponent, no matter how inept they may have seemed. He knew only that they were skilled enough to catch three well-trained fighters by surprise, and that in itself was troubling enough.

One thing was certain. He needed more information, and quickly. The nearby Mass Relay could take him to a number of different places. Whether he could gain the right information...from a _trusted_ source...and in person...severely limited that number. Hagalaz was too far away. He trusted no one on Illium. Mouse was increasingly difficult to locate, and it was unlikely the boy would know anything about a kidnapping case. It left Thane with _one_ option—and even though his feelings were conflicted he knew he had no other choice. He would do anything to find Shepard. _Anything._

Decision made, Thane shouldered the heavy case, and made his way to the elevator that would take him down to the cargo hold. He met no one on the way. There wasn't any sign of Zaeed, Jack, or even Grunt as he made his way down to the shuttle. He was half-expecting Miranda's voice to sound over the comm system, but he heard nothing.

His fingers reached for the shuttle's external door control, but before he could activate it, the door started to open. Thane's muscles tensed in anticipation of a fight, but his large, dark eyes widened in surprise.

"What took you so long? Feels like I've been waiting for hours."

Garrus sat in the pilot's seat of the Kodiak shuttle, a smug sort of look on his strange, turian face. He seemed relaxed, and a fresh bandage covered his scarred cheek.

Thane's brows furrowed. "Why are you here? You should be resting in the medical bay."

"Aw, and let _you_ have all the fun? I don't think so." Garrus chuckled, his mandibles flaring in amusement.

Thane frowned darkly at the turian. "I don't have time for your games, Vakarian." He moved, setting the large gun case down as he stepped aboard the shuttle. It would not be long before Miranda realized what he was up to; he was lucky to even have a few minutes.

Garrus' mandibles opened in a laugh, before a stern look crossed his alien features and he gave Thane a serious look as he stilled the appendages on his face."I'm not playing games, Krios. Someone took Shepard, and it's partially my fault. I'm going with you whether you like it or not." The turian nodded at the co-pilot's seat and pressed a few of the controls in front of him. "Besides...who else could get Joker to help us out with our grand escape?"

Raising one brow, Thane glanced at the seat being offered to him. There wasn't much time to argue, and while he wasn't certain he _wanted_ help, he couldn't deny that he needed the assistance. Garrus was skilled, and would be a good asset. Logic won. "Very well," he said, his tone sharp as he moved to take a seat.

Garrus nodded, and the shuttle's doors closed at one touch to a control. "Any time now, Joker. I've got Krios aboard," he muttered quietly into his comm unit. There was a static hiss, and the pilot's voice reverberated through the ship's comm system.

"_What's that, EDI? The Kodiak's powering up? I don't see anyth—ah DAMMIT! I spilled my lunch! Look at what you made me do!"_

The bay doors started sliding open, and Thane could feel the rumbling purr of the Kodiak's engines as the shuttle lifted from the bay floor and started for the blackness of space.

"_What? I opened the bay door with my elbow? What do you want _me_ to do about it, EDI, I've got Gardner's 'Mystery Stew' all over my lap. Yeah. I'm _fine_, thanks for asking. Oh, is my tone too hostile for you? Chill, you big blue baby. No, I've got the door. It's closing now."_

The doors started closing just as the Kodiak slipped through. Once free, Garrus punched in the coordinates for the nearest Relay, and the ship darted away from the Normandy. "Thanks, Joker," Garrus murmured softly.

Thane felt a strange sense of relief once the Normandy was out of sight, and he closed his eyes, forcing his tense body to relax. He would find Shepard, and rescue her. His heart ached. It was amazing how quickly she had become important to him...even when he knew he had so little time left. Every single moment was precious to him.

_Soft blue light touches pale skin. Full lips tremble, her hands warm as they cling to mine. She whispers, her voice warm. "Thane. I..." Pale gray eyes search mine. Fear. Sadness. My heart stops. I touch her cheek. Gently. She trembles at the touch._

"_Siha..what's wrong?"_

_She bites her lip. A curious habit. I've seen her do it before, though the reason for it is often lost to me._

"_I don't want to lose you."_

_The words tear at me. I am dying, and she knows it. Once again I am faced with the guilt that tears at me. I don't deserve her love, but I can't let go of her. Her eyes grow fierce. Determined. The look she gives me sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine. It's the look she gave me when we first met. Fire and exhilaration. Fierce pride and determination. The look of someone who will never give up._

"_I will find a way to heal you. I will _not_ lose you."_

"_Siha-"_

"_Don't you '_siha_' me, Thane. I will not let you just give up and 'go to the sea.' I have access to the best physicians I have ever seen. We're on the fastest, most advanced ship, with the best pilot and the best crew. I'm _CommanderShepard_, for crying out loud. I've got you now, and nothing, _nothing_, will keep me from doing my best to make sure you get old and wrinkly with me."_

He opened his eyes slowly as the memory faded.

They sat together in awkward silence for a long moment before Garrus turned his avian head towards Thane. "So...got a destination in mind, or are we just winging it?"

Thane remained silent, his liquid dark eyes staring out the main window. His stomach churned with unease, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Kahje."


End file.
